:iagree: :iagree: :iagree: I would love to be able to read one book a week. Sometimes I do read more. But usually I read less. So I may very well not be able to fulfill the entire challenge, and that's fine. After all, this is not a school assignment. This should be fun and enjoyable. :lol: I have a 10% rule with books. If the first 10% doesn't engage me, I quit or sometimes leave it for maybe a few months down the road to try again. But usually the former. :D

Few more things I just thought of and ran down the stairs to say: Have you been having lots of caffeine and/or salt? Both can cause fluid retention, pain, and lumpiness. There are ways you can overcome this - natural diuretics - lots of veggies, water, etc. Something else to not scare you. Pain is usually not the big "C" ... it's usually not cancer. Nonetheless, have it checked out, I think. Just because you have a lump in your breast doesn’t mean you have cancer. Pseudo Lump is breast tissue approaching 1 inch in diameter that has formed into a lump, such as a pocket of dead fat or scar tissue that resulted from trauma caused by surgery or injury. Lumpiness – little bumps that are approximately one-eighth inch in diameter. Harmless and perfectly natural – and has not been linked to later development of breast cancer Cyst – These lumps are fluid-filled sacs that are most common in women between 30 and 55 They feel squishy near the surface Those that are more deeply embedded in breast tissue feel harder Fibroid or Fibroadenoma is a lump ranging from half an inch to 2 ½ inches or larger. A rare cancer occurs in about 1% of all these lumps (usually the larger ones). This type of cancer is relatively harmless because it doesn’t spread. You’ve got plenty of time to look at all your options. Cancer Lump – By the time a cancerous lump is large enough for you to feel, it’s usually grown about half an inch in diameter. If a cancerous lump is much smaller, you won’t feel it. In the early stages, a lump of cancerous cells feels like normal tissue. It will not change with menstrual cycles and is rarely painful. Unless the type of cancer you have is extremely aggressive, you still have time to get information and examine your options.

Did it begin after you started exercising, or was it happening before? If it's the former, I have had it also. It improved by itself. I am not an expert, Everyone's experience is different. One possibility other than what the previous two posters have said (and I do agree that you should have it checked out) are infected lymph nodes. Very common and fairly easy to overcome. Make sure to drink lots of water. If you, can dry body brush from your neck on down as well as your armpits. Dry body brush your bre@sts also. Do this before showering. Improves circulation and helps lymphatic system. But be gentle and only do this if you can tolerate it! How has your diet been? Junk food and lots of sugar worsen every single condition. Sorry to sound like I'm lecturing.

Thank you so much. This is perfect. Thanks for the link also. BTW, love your siggy quote :). Good reminder for me ...

Thanks, Stacia. I remember you recommending this book and have now added it to my wish list ... or should I say, moved it up in priority :D. Looks good. Yes, I am looking forward to reading Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie. I started it last year, even before you read it. But for some reason, I couldn't get into it at that point in my life ... Now I look forward to starting it again soon. :iagree: :iagree: :iagree: I LOVE Maeve Binchy. And yes, I was also annoyed by the ending of the movie.

:lol: :iagree:

:hurray: :D

Obviously, I like the last 2 you mentioned, since they're on my list also. We also loved LOTR. The others, I'm going to look into. I've been meaning to watch "This is England". Thanks for the reminder. :)

No one?

The last book in the Girl w/Dragon Tattoo series is the least violent. I often wonder if I should read this or not. Thank you for the helpful review. :) I LOVE this book. :D My absolute favorite classic. The A&E/BBC version with Colin Firth is done wonderfully and well worth seeing after the book. I plan on reading this soon. My dh has read it already. This week I've been reading Rick Steves Paris Book. Also, just started, but don't know if I like it yet or not A Great Deliverance.

:iagree: Which book is this from? :iagree: :iagree: :iagree: Stacia, you know how much I love this one. She's my most recent favorite. Pride and Prejudice, I read so long ago. I'll have to review Elizabeth Bennett. I do know that I LOVED that book. Plan on reading this soon. I know that given what I've heard, Flavia is great.

I don't know. :confused: I never like them since they make me constipated. I'd rather get my iron from food and/or other sources - spirulina, yellow dock, etc. Lots of threads here on iron. Sorry to be so rushed ...

Rosie, need to look into some of these. I have loved some of James Michener - The Source and Caribbean. The others, I'm going to look into. :)

:iagree: Absolutely LOVE the HP books. I never thought I would. Books and movies are so very subjective. You're looking for substantive and well-written .. I'll try my best here based on my list of favorite books. The Kite Runner then wait about 6 months (or else it's Afghanistan overkill ;)) before reading his even better book Thousand Splendid Suns - this one, by far, is amongst one of the best books I have ever read The Help The House of Spirits by Isabel Allende and anything else by her - but this is her first and IMHO, her best book Can't Wait to Get to Heaven by Fannie Flagg - her best one - don't know if it's particularly substantive and well-written, but really, really a nice read Funny in Farsi - if you need a good laugh (and, don't we all?) :D Pillars of the Earth by Ken Follett The Secret Life of Bees The Book Thief I LOVE these book threads. I love all the suggestions and ideas. :)

Sarah, I think I'm going to like this thread :D. Movies are obviously quite subjective. We also cannot tolerate horror, except for good Alfred Hitchcock ... and even then, not the overly scary ones. Here's a very incomplete list of movies that we've loved and even liked a lot. Like you, my dh has seen more movies than I. My dh's top 5 favorites: Cinema Paradiso It’s a Wonderful Life Shawshank Redemption The Color Purple Ground Hog Day and he also has loved (although I haven't yet seen) - Kickass Other Movies we’ve Enjoyed Five People You Meet in Heaven Pride and Prejudice and all others in A&E Romance Collection – Scarlet Pimpernel and so on - the Ivanhoe one is superb - they're all fabulous. We only like the P&P with Colin Firth - the original BBC/A&E version Other Period Classics – Nicholas Nickelby etc. Fried Green Tomatoes Big Fish Kill Bill 1 and 2 Jean de Florette and Manon of the Spring The Bourne Identity Runaway Jury Shine A Beautiful Mind Finding Neverland Bullets Over Broadway Strictly Ballroom Billy Elliott The Fugitive Steel Magnolias As Good as it gets The Insider Catch me if you can October Sky Waking Ned Devine Schindler’s List The Best in Show Cinderella Man The Pianist Gladiator Chocolat Big Fat Greek Wedding V for Vendetta The Ultimate Gift Namesake Amazing Grace Pleasantville Food, Inc. We recently saw "Waiting for Superman" - very good documentary

Me too, particularly when it comes to reference/non-fiction books and I need to look something up from the index or table of contents. Quite frustrating. I love the Kindle in many ways, but this aspect of it is probably the one I dislike the most.

http://www.brainology.us/ I wonder if this is worth getting - made by the author of Thanks. This software program is certainly not cheap, so I'm curious.

I have heard that this is true. Also, if you're looking to improve circulation, which we should all be thinking of :), daily dry body brushing before showering or exercising (whichever comes first), rebounding/bouncing on a trampoline, and massage are all important. When dry body brushing around the veins, be gentle, which I'm sure you know. Other tips - in a more organized form, since I just read up on this. My Dad has suffered from them. Varicose Veins are veins that are widened, distended, and, in some cases, twisted. More common symptoms include dull nagging aches and pains and a feeling of heaviness in the legs. EAT MORE Consume a diet that’s high in fiber. Try sticking to a low-sodium, high-fiber diet Eat more ginger, garlic, and onions. These foods help to break down the fibrin surrounding the varicose vein. People with varicose veins have a decreased ability to break down this substance. Garlic and onions have an anti-clotting factor. Ginger has anti-inflammatory and anti-clotting properties. Bromelain (found naturally in pineapples) aids in activating a factor that promotes the breakdown of fibrin. Bromelain also prevents the formation of blood clots. Dark-colored berries (cherries, blackberries, and blueberries) contain anthocyanins and proanthocyandins which may help to strengthen the venous wall and increase the muscular tone of the vein. Cantaloupe is a source of beta-carotene (healing properties) and has an anti-clotting factor. Kale, parsley and collard greens are rich in beta-carotene, a healing nutrient. EAT LESS Excess salt can cause swelling SUPPLEMENTS - Nature's Way is a good brand, as well as many others. Look for supplements with short ingredient lists. I like vitacost and amazon for their reviews and prices. Horse Chestnut 300 mg twice daily – be sure the herb is standardized to contain 50 mg escin per dose. Horse Chestnut Extract – you can take horse chestnut extract containing 10-20 mg of escin three times a day, or apply a salve with 0.5-1.5% escin topically. Horse Chestnut seals leaking capillaries and improves the elasticity of veins. Gotu Kola tones the vascular system and improves circulation. Look for an extract that provides a daily dosage of 30-60 mg triterpenic acids. Gotu Kola has reduced cellulite in 80% of the people who tested it. The participants took a gotu kola extract containing 30 mg of triterpenes three times a day. Both of the above have been used successfully for varicose veins as well as for cellulite. Butcher’s Broom contains anti-inflammatory and vessel-constricting compounds. Use an extract standardized to contain up to 11% ruscogenin at a dosage of 100 mg 3 times a day. Bromelain supplements if pineapples are not a possibility -aids in activating a factor that promotes the breakdown of fibrin. Bromelain also prevents the formation of blood clots. Vitamin E is a healing nutrient. Only take d-alpha, not dl-alpha (the synthetic form). Zinc is another healing nutrient. OTHER TIPS Exercise regularly Maintain a healthy weight - these 2 factors are absolute key. Avoid crossing your legs, which puts pressure on veins Avoid standing in one place too long. Wear support stockings if you need to.

No time to read all the replies, or any of them yet. I have to ask the moderators to possibly close this thread. I regret ever having started it. I forgot that it would be controversial. :confused:

Been spending most of the past few days busy looking at accommodation for Paris. Turns out that we may just book 2 Rooms on Priceline, since it may work out less than all of Rick Steves' suggestions (love his book and I do thank all of you for the recommendation :)). PL has the Paris neighborhoods listed as the following. Yet Paris goes by its Arrondissements ... I wish there was consistency. :confused: The PL areas are as follows. Please, can someone tell me which are the best in order of most to least preference? Thank you so much. St. Germain - Latin Quarter РMontparnasse Р6th arrondisement? La Tour Notre Dame Villa Lutece Port Royal Hotels De Paris (Villa) Montparnasse Libertel Sevres - Vaneau Holiday Inn St Germain des Pr̩s Hotel Des Nations Saint-Germain Mercure Paris Montparnasse Eiffel Tower РGrenelle РPorte de Versailles РMontparnasse Hotel Yllen Novotel Paris Vaugirard Pavillon Porte de Versailles Batignolles - Montmartre - Republique Р5th Arrondisement? Holiday Inn Paris Gare de L'Est (formerly Mercure Terminus Est) Libertel Le Moulin Champs Elysees - Opera Quarter West Libertel Elysees-Ponthieu Berne Opera Hotel La Fleche d'Or Hotel La Defense РNeuilly Р16th Arrondisement? Hotel Mercure Paris La Defense Hotel Mercure La Defense Parc Mercure Hotel Paris Neuilly Libertel Residence Paris La Defense Courtyard Paris Neuilly Novotel Paris La Defense Opera Quarter East - Les Halles Р10th Arrondisement? Holiday Inn Opera Tryp Confort Francois Corona Opera Hotel des Victoires Tulip Inn Sudotel Hotel Jules Bastille РBercy Рlast choice? Mercure Paris Gare de Lyon Thank you so much.

:lol: :lol: :lol: No, no, no, don't let him be a "Persian Quiet Reader" - that's what I am - Persian and love to read, quiet maybe not :lol:.

:iagree: :iagree: :iagree: My thoughts exact-o-mundo (as dh would say). This is what and even my very Republican friend have been saying for years and years ...

EXERCISE is key Do something that you enjoy - even if you don't, once you get into a routine (say after 6 weeks, you'll see amazing benefits). Whatever you choose, it will help. I’m convinced that if my dad didn't exercise, he would never be so upbeat. That and prayer. When my Dad gets frustrated or upset, he goes out for a walk or a swim. I'm not as disciplined as he is. But he's an example to me. Exercise will calm you down. People who exercise for 30 minutes 3 times a week see mood improvements similar to those who take the antidepressant Zoloft. Many yoga poses and the regular practice of yoga help relieve symptoms of depression and anxiety. Take a walk for well-being – walking or just being outdoors helps greatly with depression and anxiety OTHER TIPS Vanilla is calming and boosts serotonin levels in the brain. Just like comfort food, vanilla can bring us back to a place of security and peace. Burn a vanilla-scented candle or inhale the aroma of vanilla beans. Lavender contains linalool, a substance that blocks the stress response in the body and relaxes the muscles. Perfect if you have neck and shoulder pains Add 6 drops of lavender essential oil to your moisturizing lotion. COGNITIVE BEHAVIORAL THERAPY I've heard great things about Cognitive Behavioral Therapy. http://www.nacbt.org/whatiscbt.htm

Melatonin is a natural hormone that promotes sound sleep. Acts as an antioxidant - early in life, the body produces an abundant supply, but as we age, production steadily declines Helpful for more difficult insomnia Decreases anxiety by stimulating GABA (a brain chemical that calms you down) After the age of 45, melatonin levels decrease. Melatonin is the only hormone supplement that’s safe to self-medicate. GUIDELINES • Start with 1 mg just before bedtime. Take 2 hours or less before bedtime. If this is not effective, gradually increase dosage. Melatonin dosages vary from individual to individual ~ and most do not need the highest dose. Ease into melatonin in increments. Some take up to 20 and even 40 mg. • Do not take melatonin every single night – a few nights a week • Do not take melatonin during the day. • When you awaken after melatonin-assisted sleep, you should feel refreshed – not tired or groggy. If you do experience grogginess, reduce the dosage. • Do not give to children • If you wake up in the middle of the night, you can take another 1-5 mg. NATURAL SOURCES Walnuts Fiber-rich foods such as brown rice, oats, and quinoa Cherries—when tart—and their juice

Zinc is required by the brain in order to produce GABA, a compound that eases anxiety and irritability. 25-50 mg per day DO NOT TAKE MORE THAN 100 mg Use zinc gluconate lozenges or OptiZinc for best absorption According to a study, women who took a daily zinc supplement in addition to a multivitamin for 10 weeks experienced significantly less anger and depression than those who took only a multivitamin. Valerian is used in Chinese medicine for insomnia. This herb promotes relaxation and curbs anxiety. Take 400 to 800 mg in divided doses throughout the day, or before sleep. The Bach Flower Remedies represent a form of psychotherapy in a bottle, a noninvasive modality to address negative emotional states like: • Anxiety • Depression • Impatience A Welsh homeopath, Dr. Edward Bach recognized in the 1920s that, if herbs have healing powers, so must flowers. Over many years, he experimented with numerous flowers and trees to create a total of 38 plant-based Bach Flower Remedies. Bach Rescue Remedy is used in many emergency rooms to help alleviate trauma. Centuary is useful for boundary issues, especially for people who give too much of themselves Impatiens is good for irritability and short tempers. Oak is for those determined types who struggle on (despite setbacks) through adversity or illness. Rock water can ease tension for those who tend to be hard on themselves. I have heard incredible things about these. :)